If you have never directed a race, please do so. It is a great experience and a way that you can help make our sport more like you want it to be. Pay attention to the things YOU as a runner care about and publicize that those are the things you care about. You will probably find that a lot of other runners care about the same things you do. You will definitely also be reminded that you can't please everyone.

There are many factions when it comes to runners. Just to name a few:

the runner that races 50 times a year and doesn't want any more give aways

the runner that races 50 times a year and won't do your race with out a give away

the first timer that wants a shirt, a medal, an aid station every mile and a reg fee of $20 (for a marathon or longer)

the 50 stater that wants a cheap or free race and a medal

the runner that just wants to run and could care less about the give away

the person that is going to bitch about something no matter how perfect the event was run

Considering you are signing up for a race and not buying a medal or a shirt and those are just SWAG (Stuff We All Get) it is amazing that for some the SWAG is more important than the actual race.

If you have never directed a race, please do so. It is a great experience and a way that you can help make our sport more like you want it to be. Pay attention to the things YOU as a runner care about and publicize that those are the things you care about. You will probably find that a lot of other runners care about the same things you do. You will definitely also be reminded that you can't please everyone.

I guess part of the implied subtext of my OP is "If you can't do a t-shirt right please, please don't bother."

The race director above clearly get's this. His race as a t-shirt worthy of whatever incremental costs it added to the registration.

I don't know, I am running out of cotton race shirts new enough to not be embarrassed wearing thm out in public. A combination of me not running enough races and the increasing use of tech shirt...which I have too many of.

You should have mentioned this before my last trip to the donation center...

I recently discovered a local 5k race. The RD organizes it every month at the park: certified course, timed, water, and sometimes power bars and gatorade at the finish. No medals, t-shirts, or anything else to take home really, but the reg fee is a whopping $1. They even managed to make money at the end of the year to donate toward the maintenence of the park!

the runner that races 50 times a year and doesn't want any more give aways

the runner that races 50 times a year and won't do your race with out a give away

the first timer that wants a shirt, a medal, an aid station every mile and a reg fee of $20 (for a marathon or longer)

the 50 stater that wants a cheap or free race and a medal

the runner that just wants to run and could care less about the give away

the person that is going to bitch about something no matter how perfect the event was run

Considering you are signing up for a race and not buying a medal or a shirt and those are just SWAG (Stuff We All Get) it is amazing that for some the SWAG is more important than the actual race.

If you feed me I will come.

Although I'm totally going to say it: I'm actually training seriously for Three Days at the Fair because I want that pottery. Why? I dunno. I don't even need pottery.

I generally don't bitch about what I'm getting/paying for. If I want a medal, I'll find a race with a medal. I do like my shirts, but won't cry if I don't get one.

I tried to direct a race once. I was pretty busy, someone offered to take over. I let them, and it didn't end well. I may do it again since I have more time, but I think a lot of people think it's cake when it's really not.

www.backuprunner.net

Buelligan

posted: 12/11/2012 at 11:35 AM

I really like some of the cotton shirts I've gotten... some not so much. My favorite shirt wasn't even made for the event I got it from, it was a leftover from a previous race that was included in a swag bag. Alas, it has finally been retired to casual wear around the house in its old age.

Thanks for the memories Flatrock 2002 Couple's Relay t-shirt. You were the best.

xor

posted: 12/11/2012 at 12:03 PM

Attention Runners

Be nice to volunteers. Please and thank you are cool. If they can't do exactly what you want or don't magically know the answer to your detail-level question, don't get upset with them. Mahalo. Yes, you are up early to run a race. They are up early too and chances are, the ones at the start got there before you did. And if you think YOU are cold and wet, stand still in it for a few hours.

(I could also go on a long rant about trying to handle a seemingly simple calendar and how bizarre that gets. For example, I have been accused of "destroying (someone's) dreams" because I could not personally guarantee that an incredibly obscure race I have never heard of put on by a person I do not know in a place I have never been would get more than 20 starters...it apparently had 5 listed starters at the time this person was requiring my personal guarantee. Wee.)